Social protocols are a set of rules or policies for human interactions which lead to a well-coordinated collaboration among the members of a group in a particular environment. Social protocols may guide a person to behave in a certain manner so as to not be disruptive in an environment. Social protocols may also guide a person's use of portable devices in an environment. In such environment, other members of the environment may have expressly or impliedly agreed on a set of rules for using portable devices. New members entering such environment without knowledge of existing social protocols may be disruptive to others.